That is how much the fixture means to South Africans. This was because the Springboks team consisted solely of white players at the time, though black players were eligible for selection for the Springboks following the merger of the two governing bodies. The All Blacks have already won the tournament, for the sixth time in the last seven years. There was the disappointment of the All Blacks losing at home for only the second time in the past 58 Tests, but there was also the sweetness that the conqueror wore South African green-and-gold and not Australian gold-and-green. McCaw rated John Smit’s 2009 Springboks as the greatest team he has ever played against. England and Wales have got history, England and most sides in the world have got history, in fact, but when it comes to rugby rivalry, nothing is tastier than South Africa against New Zealand. New Zealand and South Africa have been playing test match rugby union since 1921 when the All Blacks beat the Springboks in Dunedin 13 - 5. The final test ended in a 0-0 draw, a rarity between these two countries, and the series was shared. New Zealand turned the tables on the Springboks seven years later, winning the 1956 series 3-1. #Sizzle While they went down 13-7 in the series opener in Wellington, they came back to record a 13-6 win in Christchurch and sealed the contest with a 17-6 triumph in Auckland. If the 70’s belonged to the Springboks, the 80’s and 90’s have belonged to the All Blacks. The final test ended in a 0-0 draw, a rarity between these two countries, and the series was shared. It was not a successful tour. In the eight tests played on South African soil in the 70’s, South Africa won 6 and New Zealand 2. If the New Zealanders expect to be waved through in the second half like they were in Cardiff by the disappointing French last weekend they have got another thing coming. The Springboks scored back-to-back 3 -1 series victories in 1970 and 1976. There is considerable history behind these matches, much of it off the field. An Australian player, Jamie Hendrie, was called to replace the scrum half Sid Going who did not play on Sunday.[1]. HIGHLIGHTS: 2018 TRC Rd 4: New Zealand v South Africa, It was a real classic of Freedom Cup history, with the The New Zealand Rugby Union refused any other tours for the successive 10 years until New Zealand players of all backgrounds were given the status of "Honorary Whites" allowing them to participate in the 1970 tour under apartheid laws. A full list of contents for Rugby World's November 2020 issue, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, New Zealanders expect to be waved through in the second half, Try 3 issues of Rugby World magazine for just £5, LATEST RUGBY WORLD MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION DEALS. The Springboks may have suffered the worst home defeat in their history but after this Tri-Nations debacle in Pretoria it is New Zealand's supporters who should perhaps start to get nervous. [6], The first points of the match were scored by New Zealand's Grant Fox from a penalty kick, during which the South African supporters counted Fox's steps[11] in a divergence from rugby etiquette where normally silence is kept during kicks. Enjoy the haka for what it is today, and actually appreciate the significance of the challenge instead of attempting to drown it out with boos. [2] Rugby at the time was seen by many black South Africans as a symbol of white supremacy. Nick Mallett’s squad that won 17 Tests on the spin in 1997 and 1998 – including home and away wins over the Kiwis – also gets a mention. It was one of the longest tours for the All Blacks.It begun with two exhibition matches in Australia. Preparing for battle: South Africa’s Morne Steyn and Willem Alberts attend a team training session. South Africa won the first and third tests in Durban 17-0 and Port Elizabeth 11-6  and the All Blacks won in Johannesburg 7-6 and Cape Town 13-5. If you haven’t lived in New Zealand, you wouldn’t get just how much respect there is (in a rugby sense) for the Springboks. The 32 points scored in the third test in 1996 was South Africa’s highest winning score while the record points margin dates back to 1928 when they won 17 -0. There are multiple theories as to why the Southern Hemisphere consistently beats the north despite the larger amount of money in the European game. The past decade has been a South African rugby betrayal of that rivalry. Last year’s Test in Cape Town was a one-pointer to the All Blacks, and the most recent match in Wellington was a two-pointer to South Africa. They lost the first Test in Wellington, and won the second and third games in Christchurch and Auckland to become the first, and last, South African team to go to the home of the All Blacks and win a series. In 1976, South Africa again won tests 1, 3 and 4 by margins of 17 – 6, 15 – 10 and 15 – 14. South African sides are measured by success in World Cups and success against the All Blacks. However Botha missed two further penalty kicks which proved crucial in the result of the match. In 1997 New Zealand were again the better of the two, winning their Tri-Nations games 35 – 32 and 55 – 35. In New Zealand, the most significant recall is the matches the All Blacks have lost. New Zealand’s back-to-back World Cup-winning captain Richie McCaw played 148 Tests and lost just 15. Since rugby went professional in 1995 countries like Australia, England and France have challenged New Zealand and South Africa's claims to … – New Zealand need just six more points to become the first team in Test rugby history to score 16,000 points – no other team is yet to break the 14,000 mark. The fact that "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" was played before the match and the reaction of the predominantly white crowd were perceived to be an act of white defiance. SIZZLE: 2018 Rugby Championship South Africa scored their first test series win over the All Blacks in 1937. The 1937 South Africa tour to Australasia was one of the most successful Springbok tours in history, so much so that the touring team was nicknamed the "Invincibles". [3] Following the yes vote in the South African apartheid referendum in March 1992, the IRB lifted restrictions on tours of South Africa. : Players from the RWC winning team of 1995 pose for a team picture on the 20th anniversary of their win over the All Blacks. Between 1984 and 1992, South Africa were isolated from playing test rugby due to pressures on the IRB from groups such as "Halt All Racist Tours" against South Africa's apartheid policies. It begun with two exhibition matches in Australia. Every other team remembers the matches won against the All Blacks. [7] After the performance of "God Defend New Zealand"; SARFU President Louis Luyt broke the agreement with the ANC and played an instrumental version of "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" over the PA system with the crowd and several South African players joining in. Luyt defended his decision to play the South African anthem, stating "I will not be threatened by anybody, and I don't care if certain people, not having rugby at heart, feel upset about my decision. Understand the history, celebrate it and respect it. defiance to their perceived persecutors. The All Blacks struck back with an 11-3 win at Newlands and an 11-11 scoreline in the third test in Bloemfontein set up a thrilling final clash. New Zealand opened the series with a 13-5 victory in Dunedin although South Africa came back to win the second test 9-5. This rivalry demands respect and not insult. The 1965 South Africa rugby union tour of Australasia was a long series of matches played in 1965 by South Africa national rugby union team in Australia and New Zealand. South Africa then pressured the All Blacks but failed to score, with the score at the end of first half 10–0 to New Zealand. They beat the Boks 14 – 9 in Christchurch, lost 24 – 12 in Wellington and finished with a narrow 25 -22 win in Auckland. • Eben Etzebeth will play in his record 38th consecutive Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test match. To the Boks – World Cup semi-final, or no World Cup semi-final – this matters. On the trip they won 27 out of 29 matches with their only reverses coming against New South Wales and in the first All Black Test. South Africa (Springboks) and New Zealand (All Blacks), whose rivalry is of epic proportion, first met at test level in 1921. Australia, despite lower playing numbers than New Zealand and South Africa and a nation who prefer Rugby League and Aussie Rules still manage to remain ahead of the Europeans.